Field Trip - Arethusa Falls NH Hike

you see this right in the parking lot

Today we headed north in NH to hike a trail in Crawford Notch State Forest and see spectacular fall color at its peak or very near.  I highly recommend this hike; the drive up is beautiful, the hike is moderately easy or challenging depending on which trail you take, the forest floor is a kaleidoscope of leaf color and design, there are vistas to audibly admire at several points and the reward of course is the waterfall itself, a 300' drop.

If you live in the seacoast area of NH like we do, take the Spaulding Turnpike 4/16 North from Portsmouth and stay on 16 until you reach Sanbornville.  You can stay on 16 but you'll enjoy 153 better so turn right to get on 153 at that point and follow it all the way to Conway.  153 has the Effinghams - a group of delightful villages, lakes and ponds, fabulous color, camps; it's just more fun than 16 and you don't lose any time.  You also veer in and out of Maine since the road is on the state line for several miles and during election years like this one, you know which side you're on if you recognize the political signs.  When you get to Conway, enjoy some outlet stores, than head north to North Conway on 16/302 and then left on 302 continuing for several miles.  When you are between Bartlett and the gateway to the Notch area, you will see a clear sign on your left for Arethusa Falls.

Today was almost perfect - 72 degrees, partly sunny and the hillsides and mountains and all the trees lining the roads were on fire.  And the smell!!!  Decaying leaves!  I adore that smell!  It makes me giddy with happiness.

Starting out

Trail and forest floor - sometimes all the leaves hid the trail

Now, if you just want to see the falls and want a moderate and not too taxing or long hike, take the trail that clearly says Arethusa Falls.  (Pay attention to the tiny arrows on the sign in the parking lot like we did NOT). You can turn around when you are done with the waterfall and you've completed about a 2  3/4  mile hike.  If you take the Frankenstein Cliff trail like we did, not realizing we had gone on the long side, you have a much more challenging hike; you are essentially hiking the entire 4.5 mile plus loop to get the the falls. That doesn't sound like a super long hike but it is quite steep in many places and it feels like you've gone double the distance when you're working so hard.   It's a great hike, I absolutely loved it, it's just not as child friendly or if you have arthritic knees like Dan you might curse some parts.  We ran into foreign hikers only today; Brits and Germans.  Most of the time we were alone.  Go as soon as possible!  The color is amazing up there!

Pretty hot parking lot 

Dan accusing me (good naturally) of leading him to the trail under false pretenses - I told him it was moderately steep and super easy.  One side is and the loop side isn't - my bad!

Trying to ebb the flow of sweat into his eyes 

Eagle Ridge view

Trail changes at higher elevations; more evergreens, fewer leaves

Reward
The Waterfall is bigger than it looks here - it's just there are no tiny people there to show that - and i didn't take this picture - it was borrowed - i didn't take one of the waterfall!!!  (no sun, no light)

Reward